Safe Holi prescription: Organic colours, no large gatherings, caps to protect eyes & hair

The first post-pandemic Holi is finally around the corner but the Adenovirus scare has cast a cloud on the celebrations. My Kolkata spoke to some doctors to find out how to celebrate safely.

Here are some of the precautions that doctors suggest you can take to ensure a healthy and happy Holi…

P.S. Karmakar, consultant, Techno India Dama Hospital

• Try to use natural colours as these are less harmful. Before playing with colours, apply a light oil on our skin and hair
• Holi celebrations are incomplete without food. But with the weather getting hot, overeating can lead to indigestion. So, try to cut down on oil and spices
• Drink plenty of plain water. Coconut water and lassi are great coolers
• Avoid alcohol and if you do drink, restrict yourself to a couple of pegs only. Stay away from addictive products such as bhaang and drugs
• Best to avoid large gatherings, keeping the adenovirus threat in mind, especially for children and the elderly

Anirban Deb, consultant pulmonologist, Ruby General Hospital

• Use dry colours and gulal. Avoid colours with hard metal
• Avoid staying wet for a long time. This decreases the body temperature and the chances of catching viral infections are higher
• Avoid crowds because most viral infections spread through physical touch and proximity
• Try to use masks and sanitisers

Sachin Verma, dermatologist and medical director of Skinvita Clinic

• Use dry, organic colours and if you do play with water colours, dissolve gulal in water
• Wear covered clothes
• Tie hair properly and use a cap to protect hair from any permanent damage
• Use transparent nail polish, it works as a lacquer and protect nails
• Apply moisturiser or oil to prevent colours from entering the skin
• Take a proper bath after playing Holi, use a mild soap. Do not try to remove the colours in one day
• In case of any rash or irritation consult a doctor

Soham Basak, consultant, cornea department, Disha Eye Hospitals

• Protect eyes by wearing sunglasses or protective eyewear while playing with colours
• Never put colour on others’ eyes
• Fasten or tie hair, wear a cap to prevent colours dripping into the eyes and never rub eyes if colours enter into them as this may cause irritation or vision loss
• Apply a thick layer of coconut oil around your eyes as it will help the colour to get off easily without causing harm to the eyes
• If any colour enters the eyes, immediately wash the eyes with clean tap water or drinking water. Wash thoroughly
• Visit your local eye specialist for immediate treatment. Severe injuries may require referral to a super-specialised eye hospital
• Children enjoy water balloons, but they are one of the major causes of blunt eye injury. If a child’s eyes are hit by balloons, the eyeballs may get severely damaged